


The French Republic

by peacegirl



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-02
Updated: 2013-03-02
Packaged: 2017-12-04 02:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/705205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peacegirl/pseuds/peacegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Musichetta has grown old in Paris, the fatal day of the barricades in constantly on her mind. Finally, The French Third Republic is announced, and Musichetta feels free.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The French Republic

Musichetta left her old cottage one morning, and headed into town. The walk was not long, but at her age, it was tiring.

She had grown to be an old woman now, many years had passed since the days of the cafe Musian, when her friends and lovers spoke of a better world, died for a better world.

Yet they never got to see the world they gave their lives for, those brave boys of the Les Amis de l’ABC. To Chetta, it did not matter how many years would pass, they memories always seemed too fresh, too real.

She could still remember waking up in the middle of the night - the last night she would ever wake up to them - to find her lovers there, then waking up again to the sound of guns. The sounds of the bullets haunted her for years after. Nightmares raged on inside her mind, convincing her she had woken up to the bullets piercing her Joly, her Bossuet.

Musichetta could not stay a young girl in mourning forever though. She struggled to leave the house for months on end, the smallest things reminding her of any of them. Once she found an old tricolour cockade hidden away in her bedroom, years after the June Rebellion. It had just been when things were going well, finally she was getting better, only to be reduced back to her original state in a matter of seconds.

Chetta had gotten married. She was getting older by then, and she could not afford to be alone more. He had never treated her cruelly, but she never loved him. She did not have enough room left to love, enough heart left to give. Musichetta was guarded, so scared to loose everyone again, she would not let them into her heart at all. He rarely shared a bed with her, and when he did, he would complain of her calling to long lost ghosts in the night.

There had been children. All grown up now, with children of their own. Musichetta had loved them dearly, allowing that one last bit of happiness into her life. She fussed over them when they got sick, and proclaimed them sick when they never were. She watched them trip and stumble, kissing their bruises. It was the little things that hurt more than they should have.

-

Musichetta could not help but notice that the town seemed busier, and the people seemed more alive for such a sleepy little place. Chetta entered the grocer, and asked the man behind the counter what had happened.

“It’s finished!” He cried, “The Emperor has been overthrown, we’re free!” The man was not even looking at Musichetta anymore, he merely seemed happy to have someone who would listen. “A republic once again. Let us hope this one will last…!”

The young man’s voice faded as Chetta left the store. She had seen plenty of changes to government in her time; monarchies, empires, republics. But there was something different about this one. Musichetta knew this was it.

The old woman stood in the middle of the street, and let the tears fall from her cheeks. She thought of their rebellion, their talk of revolution. What they had wanted so desperately had finally come to pass. If only they were here to see it be.

Chetta tried to smile, looking around the street, but her tears clouded her vision. She saw a two of blurred figures walking towards her, and openly sobbed.

“Chetta, we’re home.” She heard her Joly say, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“We’ve missed you, girl.” Bossuet whispered, standing behind him.

Musichetta grinned, but continued to cry. “You didn’t die in vain.” She told them, pulling them both in to embrace her. God, she had missed their warmth, and their smell. She had always known she had missed them, but to see them standing in front of her made the hole in her chest where her heart had once been ache.

She released them from the embrace, and both of her boys took her by the hand. “Come on, Chetta. The others are waiting, they’ve missed you too.”

Musichetta nodded, and then three lovers began to walk towards the light.

Chetta glanced behind her, to see the town she had spent the last years of her life in. An old woman’s body laying on the ground, looking as peaceful as if she were asleep. Chetta could even see a small smile on her lips.


End file.
